North Carolina shooting victim was hit accidentally when partygoer returned fire, officials say
A man killed in a shooting at a western North Carolina house party earlier this month that left 11 other people injured was inadvertently shot by a partygoer returning fire at shooters on a nearby hillside, authorities said Tuesday.
Officials won't pursue criminal charges against the person responsible for the death of Shawn Hood, 58, of Lenoir, said spokesperson Maj. Aaron Turk with the Catawba County Sheriff's Office.
'In North Carolina laws concerning self-defense are clear. Our investigation has shown that the person responsible for Mr. Hood's death was not intending to target Mr. Hood, but again, was targeting the hillside shooters,' Turk said at a news conference. 'As such and at this time there's not going to be any charges pursued criminally against the person responsible for Mr. Hood's death.'
Authorities have said more than 80 shots were fired shortly after midnight on June 1 in a crime scene that spanned several properties. It began with a 'premeditated and seemingly unprovoked attack' by the shooters on the hillside and then partygoers who were scattered around the property returning fire, according to Turk.
Eleven people, including Hood, were shot, and a 12th person was injured while trying to flee, Turk said. Investigators have said both adults and young people were among the scores of attendees at the house party in a residential neighborhood roughly 55 miles (88 kilometers) northwest of Charlotte. Hood was the oldest of the victims, who ranged in age from as young as 16, the sheriff's office has said.
Using facial recognition technology, investigators determined that more than 100 people were at the party at different points, but there were 63 people in the line of fire from the shooters on the hillside, Turk said.
Authorities also announced indictments Tuesday charging six men with one count each of conspiracy to commit first-degree murder and 63 counts each of attempted first-degree murder. A seventh person, a woman, is charged with four counts of accessory after the fact to attempted first-degree murder.
Investigators have information that indicates that the men have gang affiliations and while there were gang motivations behind the attack, Turk said those weren't the only motivations. He said there was some 'individualized animosity' against one or more of the people attending the party, but he said investigators learned there was a plan to shoot up the party 'in its entirety.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
29 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Andrew Tate escapes criminal charges for alleged attack on model Bri Stern in Beverly Hills hotel
Andrew Tate will not face criminal prosecution after model Bri Stern claimed in March that he assaulted her during a sexual encounter at The Beverly Hills Hotel. The Los Angeles District Attorney's Office notified Tate's attorney, Joseph McBride, that the case was dropped due to lack of sufficient evidence, according to TMZ. McBride explained that Tate had responded fully to the allegations, including making himself available for questioning and supplying a 'do-not-prosecute' packet of information urging prosecutors not to pursue charges. Stern accused Tate of repeatedly choking her during sex despite her demands to stop. Text exchanges also appeared to show Tate referencing rough sexual practices. McBride characterized Stern's claims as baseless, arguing that Tate's opponents have tried to exploit the legal system against him around the world. 'Tate's foes have weaponized courts globally to attack him. We're grateful the evidence clearly showed his innocence, sparing him an unjust indictment,' McBride stated. Meanwhile, sources close to Stern say she was not notified of the DA's decision to decline charges. Tate still faces legal battles in Romania, where he and his brother Tristan are accused of sex trafficking and running a criminal network. Stern is also pursuing a civil lawsuit against Tate over the same alleged assault. Stern says the relationship unraveled in a way she hadn't seen coming, with what she claims are the shocking details revealed in lawsuit sparked by what she describes as a horrifying night where she accuses Tate of choking her to the point where she almost passed out. It was on March 11 when influencer Tate allegedly assaulted her while they had sex at the Beverly Hills Hotel, according to the filing Per the lawsuit, filed by Stern's attorneys on March 27 in Los Angeles Superior Court, the abuse included violently threatening text messages including one that read: 'I want to beat the f**k out of you.' In an exclusive interview with in April, Stern recalled the intense fear as she desperately fled room 311 and recounts many of the graphic details in her lawsuit. The alleged assault, she says, took place in room 311 at the iconic hotel, a 780-sq-ft suite costing $3,000 per night. She says she has since been subjected to multiple death threats from fans of Tate, who has millions of followers on social media. Tate has always continued to deny the allegations and his lawyers have questioned Stern's credibility. 'My heart was beating so fast, and I was really anxious, but there was something in me that just told me, 'You need to go, run,' she tells of the alleged violent encounter. She escaped in the early morning hours after Tate said 'shut the f**k up b**ch. You will never backtalk me. You are my property,' according to her suit. Their intense affair started off 'sweet, kind, and loving' but over 10 months turned 'darker' - much darker - until it exploded and flamed out in an episode of sexual violence at the famed 'Pink Palace' on Sunset Boulevard, says Stern. 'My world was flipped upside down. I was so, so, so upset, sad, scared,' she said about that night. The model's filing claims sexual battery and harassment by Tate, 38, which lists chilling details of abuse - emotional and physical. Since going public with her claims, Stern says she has been the target of multiple death threats from fans of the kickboxer-turned-social media personality. She told how she first met the influencer in July last year during a content shoot in Transylvania, Romania. Stern insists she hadn't heard of Tate - or his reputation for degrading women - before she flew to meet with him and his brother Tristan, 36. She was referred by a mutual friend who described the 6′3″ former kickboxer as a 'big teddy bear.' 'I thought he was so kind, so sweet, so warm and loving,' Stern recalls to 'Everything was great in the beginning. He even talked about how much he respected women.' Stern filed a police report accusing the self-proclaimed misogynist of sexual assault following the scary March 11 encounter where she claims he choked her during sex at the Beverly Hills Hotel but the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office has dropped the case LA-based Stern told she maintained a steamy trans-continental relationship with Tate by making repeated trips to his gated Romanian compound. He immediately began love-bombing Stern on the first day they met, she says. 'He initially stated that I was so beautiful and wanted to get to know me, and we kind of both dove into our life stories and bonded emotionally a lot on that first car ride, and he kind of, you know, came on strong,' she tells 'He was like, you're mine, I want you to be my girlfriend, you don't have to worry about anything, you're with me now. 'And I kind of thought, like, this is a little soon, but okay, I'll give it a try, we'll see. 'Some of my friends and family loved him, and they thought that he wasn't capable of hurting anyone… and that's what I believed as well.' But other friends were 'more skeptical' and warned her to 'be careful.' 'We were in constant communication,' she explains. 'He told me how much he loved me every single day. 'He also talked often about how he wanted to spend forever with me and have a family with me, and I believed him.' Eventually, though, Tate shed the facade of a caring boyfriend and Stern tells she 'started to see other sides of him.' After filing the lawsuit, she shared a post on social media that showed what appear to be records of his threats of rape and murder. She claims that the abuse that came with his change in behavior was seemingly designed to break her will. She also revealed that he told her 'you are my property' after allegedly choking her at the hotel, a claims she includes in the lawsuit. And, in another post, she shared screenshots of messages - also mentioned in the lawsuit - alleging he told her via text that 'You will give me a child this year b**ch... What's the point in having you if I don't beat and impregnate you'. She also shared screenshots of texts Tate sent her where he said he enjoyed beating her because he found it 'relaxing'. According to the complaint, Tate once wrote to her, 'You have an attitude because you're not hot enough.' Stern alleges in the filing that Tate 'began choking her while they were having sex, but it got too rough, and although she begged him to stop, he kept going.' She told that following the alleged incident, she 'had a pounding headache that was constant that I could not get to go away.' A doctor subsequently diagnosed her with 'post-concussion syndrome.' Several pictures showing Stern's bruised face were reportedly handed over to police. She reveals to that she was stunned when Tate allegedly said via text that he desired to hit her. 'I didn't talk to him for four days,' she says of the couple's first 'rift.' Furthermore, she adds, 'I was completely shocked, and I was like, what is this?' Later, Tate reached out via a video call and said, 'Pookie, I was just kidding. Ha-ha, I'm Andrew Tate. It's just a joke. I would never hurt you. I would never put my hands on you.' She says she had contemplated leaving Tate prior to last month's alleged incident, but she remained 'under his spell' and said he always 'manipulated' her into staying. 'I struggled with that - with still loving someone who was hurting me. When you love someone, I think, as a woman, you want to stay with them, and it's kind of innate to our nature, but it definitely causes conflicting feelings,' says Stern. Andrew Tate (right) and his brother Tristan (left) were charged with rape and other offences in the UK in March Stern's alleged experience with Tate is not all that unique. The controversial brothers have spent recent years in a Romanian prison and under house arrest while facing charges of sex trafficking in both the UK and Romania. They deny the charges. Tate is currently facing charges associated with sex trafficking young women, as well as a count of rape. But, according to the BBC, prosecutors said their travel ban lifted in February after more than two years, and on February 27, they flew to Florida via private jet. On March 10, Tate spent a night at Stern's Los Angeles apartment before the horror that allegedly unfolded at the hotel the following day. Tate has amasses a cult-like following for his controversial views on women, including that they should 'bear responsibility' if they are raped. The brothers have since returned to Romania in order to comply with a Romanian court order having to do with their sex-trafficking case there. Meanwhile, his ex says, 'Physically he's a good-looking guy.' But, she now realizes 'his views' don't 'really align with women and women's rights.' And she adds, 'I really loved this person, and he told me how much he loved me every day and that we were going to finally spend every day together when he got to the US. Of the alleged incident at the hotel, Stern says afterward she was 'completely heartbroken.' 'I invested so much time, energy, emotions, love into someone that wasn't who I thought they were,' she said. 'Some red flags had gone off before, but I don't think I really had that ah-ha moment until that day. 'I trusted him explicitly. When he started to verbally speak about hitting… he initially said that it was a joke, so that kind of just went away in my mind. I just believed him. I just brushed it off as this is a joke until it became my reality.' Stern, who says she was invited by a member of the 'Trump administration' to attend an April 3 event at Mar-a-Lago, says 'multiple' women have reached out to her with similar stories about Tate after she went public with her claims. 'I trusted him explicitly,' says Stern of ex Tate Stern says 'multiple' women have reached out to her with similar stories about Tate after she went public with her claims 'I trusted him explicitly. When he started to verbally speak about hitting…he initially said that it was a joke,' says Stern of Tate But she also claims has received threats from some of Tate's loyal followers on social media. 'I knew by coming forward that I was subjecting myself to danger,' she says. 'It's terrifying. But I'm still here, and I'm still speaking out about it.' She hopes to be a voice of strength to other women who may be 'experiencing the same thing - being hurt by the person that is supposed to love you and protect you.' Tate's attorney tells, Joseph McBride, 'This is a blatant cash grab—a desperate attempt by a sad individual to exploit Andrew's success and reputation for personal gain. 'Instead of seeking a private resolution, Ms. Stern has chosen to air her false claims in the press, revealing her true motives: money and attention, not justice. 'This is a classic example of someone weaponizing serious accusations for financial benefit, a tactic that undermines genuine victims and erodes trust in the legal system. 'We will not allow our client's character to be tarnished for profit. 'We stand ready to defend Andrew fiercely in court, where the truth will expose this baseless scheme.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Disgraced podcaster and DJ is arrested for ludicrous behavior on air after nude photo scandal
A disgraced podcaster and DJ was arrested on Wednesday after he shamelessly sent a woman's naked photograph to a guest and discussed her body live on-air despite being told by a judge not to have any contact with her or discuss her during broadcasts. Aaron Imholte, 38, was charged with the nonconsensual dissemination of private sexual images in April after he was caught sending the promiscuous photos without the woman's consent. He was originally charged with a felony count and pleaded guilty to a lesser charge on April 10. He was released under the conditions that he remain law-abiding, attend his court appearances, maintain contact with his attorney, stay in the state, and stay away from his victim. But Imholte, who hosts a controversial show called the Steel Toe Morning Show on his YouTube account and has built a following in Minnesota, failed to abide to the conditions and was arrested again this week. During the May 27, 2024 episode, he was discussing a woman he knew with a guest named Geno Bisconte, and allegedly sent the photos on-air. A criminal complaint alleging Imholte's jaw-dropping behavior referenced an episode of his show where he engaged in a wildly offensive conversation about a woman's tattoo. Bisconte told the host that he wasn't 'a fan' of tattoos on a a woman's breasts. 'I understand, Gino,' Imholte responded before looking down at his phone, appearing to send something to his guest. The guest then appeared to check his texts and told Imholte: 'I like tattoos more than I think.' 'Your boy didn't do too bad, did he?' Imholte said. The woman reported Imholte to police last July, telling them that she had been communicating with him over the app, Signal, for several months. 'The purpose of the app was to keep things private among each other, and all agreed nothing would be shared to others,' the criminal complaint as seen by Daily Mail read. Imholte had an alleged 'breakdown' in April and began talking negatively about her and sharing details of their relationship on the Steel Toe Morning Show. Police said the woman confirmed she had the tattoo that the men described. Imholte initially told authorities that he couldn't recall if he was sent a nude photo or not. The complaint noted that Imholte talked about the woman multiple times in his podcast. 'Comments made during these live streams are concerning, especially in light of this incident,' the complaint states. He spoke out about the allegations on his show, telling his audience that he was a 'dumb guy' and was in a bad place when he sent the photo. 'When I said, "Boy didn't do too bad, did he?"… That was a guy who was looking for a little validation from a friend. I cannot urge you against something like that more.'" The court heard multiple victim impact statements, and Inholte posted a bail of $100,000. After his arrest, Imholte posted an update on X on Wednesday, writing: 'I'm going to skip a show tonight. Time to rest, recalibrate, and let all bad things die. 'The shows of the last week have been [fire emoji] so let's stick to that theme. Goodnight guys and gals.' He is due back in court on October 2. Daily Mail reached out to Imholte's representation for further comment. Imholte has developed a reputation for himself in Minnesota, finding himself first embroiled in controversy back in 2020 when he resigned for comments about a rival podcast host. While he was a host on WHMH-FM St. Cloud, he called a fellow Minnesota radio host, Heather Lee, a series of shocking insults, including 'fat,' 'a pig,' and 'diabetic.' He also joked that her dogs should eat her, calling her 'lots of meat,' and encouraging his listeners to 'drive this Heather insane.' 'This Heather has the audacity to speak up. No! She will not be allowed to speak up. We will bury her in the ground,' he said. Imholte was also convicted of a misdemeanor charge of harassment and violating a restraining order last August in relation to Heather Lee.
Daily Mail
2 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE Singer reveals horror injuries after being randomly punched and attacked with phone by a stranger on NYC street
A woman has revealed the shocking injuries she suffered after being randomly attacked by an alleged assailant wielding a cellphone on a New York City street in broad daylight. Paola Di Leo, a 29-year-old singer-songwriter, told Daily Mail she was walking home from the movies with her boyfriend around 8 pm Monday near the Regal Cinema in Manhattan when a deranged woman ran up and started screaming obscenities - before slamming her in the face with a phone. 'She had her hands on my face before I even realized what was happening,' Di Leo said. 'She hit me in the forehead with her phone, and I tried to cover myself, but it was too late.' The unprovoked assault left Di Leo with a swollen forehead, bruises, and scratches. Her boyfriend, who Di Leo said stepped in to defend her, was also bitten by the attacker as he tried to restrain her. 'He still has the teeth marks on his arm,' she said. 'She was like a complete animal.' Despite the brutal attack - which played out in front of stunned bystanders and spilled into the street, where Di Leo claimed her attacker came at them three separate times - police at the scene did not immediately arrest the woman. 'I was bleeding, visibly injured, and this girl was screaming, totally unhinged,' Di Leo recalled. 'And the cops said they would only arrest her if she attacked us again.' Officers eventually escorted the attacker and a friend she was with into the subway, according to Di Leo, who was left shaken and injured. 'I went to urgent care the next day. Thankfully it wasn't a concussion, but it could have been,' she said. 'It's scary that someone like that can just walk away. What if she had a knife?' The alleged attacker, who Di Leo claimed appeared to be in her early 20s, was described as having long brown hair, wearing black clothes and eyeglasses, and possibly sporting a septum piercing. 'I don't know if she was on drugs or mentally ill,' said Di Leo. 'But someone that unstable shouldn't be allowed to just leave.' Di Leo, an Italian singer-songwriter who is not a US citizen, said she was hesitant to press charges out of fear it could complicate her status - a dilemma she believes highlights flaws in the system. 'She said we were trying to steal her phone,' Di Leo claimed. 'It made no sense. She was totally delusional.' And she says she's still in disbelief. 'I told my mom and a few friends, but I haven't really processed it. If my boyfriend hadn't been there… I don't know what would've happened.' Halley Mcgookin, known as Halley Kate on TikTok, shared her traumatic experience with her 1.2 million TikTok followers just moments after being punched in the face 27-year-old Mikayla Toninato (pictured) said she was randomly attacked in Greenwich Village on Monday, with the man accused of punching her in the face, Mallik Miah, 30, arrested on Thursday Daily Mail contacted NYPD for further comment. A spokesperson said there were no complaint reports on file. Di Leo's experience is reminiscent of a disturbing trend that swept New York City last summer. At the time, multiple women reported being randomly punched in the face by strangers while walking down the street. Social media influencer Halley Kate went viral after posting a video of herself in tears, saying she was struck in broad daylight while strolling through Manhattan. Her clip prompted a wave of similar accounts from other women who claimed they too had been victims of unprovoked violence on the city's streets.
